21 January 2014 -- Nottingham-based Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS), the UK’s largest independent supplier of scientific equipment, chemicals and consumables has donated over £3,000 worth of science equipment to the Children of Honduras Trust. Warehouse Manager Andrew Kingston arranged the delivery of three SLS pallets to the charity’s collection depot in West Hallam, Derbyshire in December. This activity is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting charitable causes of interest to staff.

Each SLS pallet contains consumable items to be used in Honduran schools, remote rural clinics and regional hospitals including gloves, disposable cleaning tissue, bottles, syringes, pipettes, pipette tips, and funnels. This is the second consignment provide by SLS since 2011 and will be used by pupils at several secondary colleges in the Valle de Angeles region as well as doctors running rural clinics in this impoverished part of the Americas. The Trust will eventually ship four 40 foot containers from Tilbury to Cartagena in Columbia and then on to Puerto Cortes in Honduras. The donations are due to arrive in early May.

Jennifer Cox founded the Children of Honduras Trust over 40 years ago, providing emergency relief as well as long term development aid: “The SLS contribution will make a real difference to the science education of secondary pupils, as well as primary healthcare, in the region. The thoughtful offer from the company gives encouragement to teachers who would not otherwise be able to demonstrate scientific theory in the class room; and items like disposable gloves provide doctors and nurses with vital protection when treating patients.”

SLS Operations Director Peter Lister says: “We identified an opportunity to put some of our stock items to good use by helping the Children of Honduras Trust. Our staff enjoy hearing how their efforts have an impact on the lives of others, and seeing the pictures from the schools and hospitals of items in use. We admire the Trust’s dedication to this valuable work and have been happy to help.”

SLS has been operating for 22 years and employs 143 at its headquarters in Nottingham and in sales teams across the UK. The company is currently working closely with the Royal Society of Chemistry on the 2014 Scientific Laboratory Show and Conference to be held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in May. Sponsorship of the biennial Scientific Laboratory event is a major commitment by SLS to the professional development of UK laboratory personnel, and coincides with the launch of its new laboratory supplies catalogue.